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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28273569">Holiday Lights</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdfighter721/pseuds/nerdfighter721'>nerdfighter721</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Unrelated JATP Christmas Fics [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Julie and The Phantoms (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:49:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,875</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28273569</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdfighter721/pseuds/nerdfighter721</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Does this neighborhood still go all out on Christmas lights?” Julie had to physically restrain herself from jumping as Luke poofed onto the couch next to her. She figured, after a few months of being around her three ghost bandmates, she would be used to them. Her figuring would be wrong.</p>
<p>It was Saturday afternoon that found her and Carlos sitting in the living room, watching a new season of the Great British Baking Show when Luke showed up. Carlos looked up at his sister, “Are the guys here?”</p>
<p>Julie nodded, “Luke is.” </p>
<p>______</p>
<p>Luke wants to go view the lights around the neighborhood with the Molina family and the other Phantoms. Julie, Carlos, and Ray hadn't been back to do that since Rose died, but maybe they're ready to restart their Christmas traditions with their family newcomers.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Unrelated JATP Christmas Fics [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2071275</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Holiday Lights</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is meant to be for sonsetcurve (on Tumblr) holiday event, day 1's theme was 'Holiday Lights and Displays'. I did not actually post then when it was supposed to be posted, but here it is now!</p>
<p>Go check out their prompt list at: https://sonsetcurve.tumblr.com/post/635697102481227776/welcome-to-sonsetcurves-2020-holiday-event-i-am</p>
<p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Does this neighborhood still go all out on Christmas lights?” Julie had to physically restrain herself from jumping as Luke poofed onto the couch next to her. She figured, after a few months of being around her three ghost bandmates, she would be used to them. Her figuring would be wrong.</p>
<p>It was Saturday afternoon that found her and Carlos sitting in the living room, watching a new season of the Great British Baking Show when Luke showed up. Carlos looked up at his sister, “Are the guys here?”</p>
<p>Julie nodded, “Luke is.” </p>
<p>After Carlos had discovered the guys and she had saved them from Caleb’s stamp, Carlos had started trying to figure out ways to interact with them. At one point, he had realized that the room's temperature changed ever-so-slightly when they were present, and had basically been spot on now, any time they were around. </p>
<p>Luke had poofed himself onto the armrest next to Julie, giving her his famous puppy-eyes as he awaited an answer, “Yes, Christmas lights are still pretty popular around here.”</p>
<p>“Rad! That used to be one of our favorite things to do -” Luke pumped his fist in the air.</p>
<p>Carlos bounced up, talking over Luke, not that he knew he was, “Do they want to see the lights? Can we go look around tonight?”</p>
<p>Julie exhaled, tempted to tell Luke to poof his guitar so that she didn’t have to have the same conversation twice, but instead just smiled at her little brother. There was a joyful shine that reminded her of the time before their mom had gotten sick. The Molina’s had previously, in Christmases before the Bad Times, would journey around the neighborhood to view all the lights and displays. A running commentary would be kept on the whole neighborhood between the four family members, with their dad creating a tally sheet so that they could rate each house, and at the end, they would all have a final discussion before making a family ranking on the decorations.</p>
<p>Last year, it was their first Christmas without their mom, and it was almost as though the holiday season didn’t exist. This year, though, they were slowly letting the Christmas season come in. The holiday lights tradition, however, hadn’t found its way back to them, yet.</p>
<p>“I think we can go tonight. Want to ask dad?” Julie asked him.</p>
<p>Carlos nodded, jumping up and running towards the staircase. Julie looked back at Luke, “You were saying?”</p>
<p>Luke slid down onto the couch next to Julie, so that their legs were touching, “Before-” He waved his hands around, “Me and the guys would ride around the neighborhood to check out the lights. That last year that we were alive, it was hard on all of us when Christmas came around - I had just run away from home a week prior, Alex’s family pretended he didn’t exist, and Reggie’s was on the rocks as usual - so Bobby-” Luke closed his eye for a moment, fist flexing as it did whenever he mentioned Bobby. Julie gently put her hand on top of Luke’s, he opened his eyes and gave her a soft smile, “-he gathered us all up Christmas night and showed us around the displays. There was this one - oh you would’ve <em>loved</em> it, Jules! - it had this six-foot animatronic Santa with a guitar rocking out to <em>Jingle Bell Rock</em>.”</p>
<p>Julie’s eyes went wide, squeezing Luke’s hand in excitement, “Like a block up from here, right?”</p>
<p>“I - I think so.”</p>
<p>“It’s still there!” Julie laughed, “If it was around <em>before</em> with you guys, I mean, that explains why it always seemed a little <em>old</em>,” Luke let out an offended noise, “But it was always a tradition in my family to sing along with it when we passed by that house. Me and Carlos, my parents-” She tapered off.</p>
<p>Luke flipped his hand around so that he could intertwine it with Julie’s, “Hey, if you don’t feel up to it-”</p>
<p>Julie shook her head, a strand of hair falling out of her messy bun and falling in front of her face, she blew it away, “No! That’s not what I meant. We missed last year's entire holiday season because we just weren’t ready to do it without mom yet. This year, we’ve at least got a tree up,” She gestured her free hand behind her, where their tree was sitting with family ornaments instead of generic Christmas bulbs, “I’d like to go look around again, and so would Carlos.”</p>
<p>Almost on cue, she heard a “Woo!” of joy coming from upstairs, and she could only guess that their dad agreed to going out tonight. Her and Luke grinned at each other.</p>
<hr/>
<p>That evening, after the sun had fallen from the sky, Julie collected the guys from the garage. Luke and Reggie rushed out, but Alex hung back for a moment, Julie was just about to check on him when Reggie leaned into her, “Willie’s with him,” He said quietly.</p>
<p>Laughing, Julie nodded and pulled the garage door shut, knowing that the two of them would catch up with them when they were ready. Ray and Carlos were waiting at the end of the driveway as Julie walked up, “Got the boys?” Ray asked, looking around and smiling.</p>
<p>“Luke and Reggie,” Both boys appeared on either side of her, and she gestured to each of them as she said their names, just so her dad knew where to look, “Alex will catch up in a bit.” The boys looped their arms around her.</p>
<p>Ray’s eyebrows knitted together, “Is he okay?”</p>
<p>Next to her, Luke and Reggie attempted to stifle laughter, “Yeah, he’s okay. Just - a little caught up in something.”</p>
<p>Ray watched her for a moment longer, but the smile on her face must have told him something, because he nodded and waved for them to start walking, “The neighborhood goes through waves of decorating,” He said to the boys, “A few houses have decorated without fail year after year, since we moved in, some houses flip between just a few lights and putting all hands on deck.”</p>
<p>“My favorite house is at the end of our road,” Carlos said, walking backwards to talk to the guys, “I always gave it the most creativity points.”</p>
<p>It took Julie a moment to remember what that house was, because she hadn’t really thought about everyone's favorites in a few years now. When she remembered, she shook her head, “It was the <em>least</em> creative, and you know it.”</p>
<p>“What is it?” Luke asked.</p>
<p>“You’ll see,” Julie responded. </p>
<p>“You’ll see what?” Alex asked, poofing in behind them. </p>
<p>Julie looked over her shoulder and smiled at Alex holding an invisible hand. She was always upset that she couldn’t see Willie, knowing how important he was to Alex, but the smile on his face made up for that, “Carlos’s favorite ‘decorated’ house,” She nodded to her dad and brother, who were walking ahead, “Alex joined us!” She informed them.</p>
<p>“Hi Alex!” Carlos waved, before running ahead.</p>
<p>“<em>Mijo</em>!” Ray called, running after him.</p>
<p>Reggie laughed, nudging Julie, “Have I ever told you how much I love your family?”</p>
<p>“At least once a week,” Julie commented, but nudged him back so he knew she was joking.</p>
<p>Alex kept a short distance behind them, “Willie asked if we should try and keep up with Ray and Carlos?”</p>
<p>Julie shrugged, “Nah, it’s okay. Dad knows I’m with you guys.” She pushed her hair behind her air, showing her AirPods, “I also have this in so anyone looking doesn’t think I’m just talking to myself.” She could also see her dad and little brother, a quarter of a mile ahead, pausing at a house that was playing <em>The Polar Express</em> on their garage walls. </p>
<p>The five of them made their way slowly back to Julie’s family, pausing to look at the lights and making comments on the decorations that they saw. They came up on one of the houses that little Julie always adored, she paused and pointed it out to her boys. Sitting around a child’s picnic table was four blow up Disney characters - Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Donald Duck- play food set out in front of them in a Christmas feast, “I used to think this house was the <em>cutest</em> when I was little.” There were more Disney characters spread out around the yard, all dressed in some form of holiday gear, “They usually have Disney music playing, but I guess they decided against it this year.”</p>
<p>Luke smiled, catching Julie’s hand, and squeezing it. Reggie grinned, “I’m glad I recognize at least some of these characters.”</p>
<p>Julie laughed, “The fact you only recognize <em>some</em> of them means that we need to have a Disney movie marathon soon.”</p>
<p>They continued up the road and caught up with her family, “What’s this movie?” Luke asked.</p>
<p>“<em>The Polar Express</em>,” Julie said, “It’s a cute movie but as I got older the animation is just a little <em>creepy</em>.”</p>
<p>“Is it a new movie?” Luke asked, half watching it, half watching Julie.</p>
<p>Julie laughed, “New to you? Yes. It’s old to me, it came out before I was born. In like 2003 or 2004, I don’t really remember. Carlos was obsessed with it, secretly still is.” She nodded to her little brother, who was still watching, enamored.</p>
<p>Luke shook his head as Ray looked over at Julie, “Are we all back together?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, we can keep going,” Julie smiled.</p>
<p>Ray nodded, nudging Carlos, “C’mon <em>mijo</em>, we’re almost at your favorite house.”</p>
<p>Carlos hummed in acknowledgement but watched the projection for a couple more seconds before sighing and taking the lead again, Ray following next to him. Julie gestured for the boys to follow but paused when she saw Reggie still watching.</p>
<p>“Reggie?” Julie said softly.</p>
<p>The bassist jumped at his name, it took him a moment to focus on her, on either side of her, she noticed both Alex and Luke frowning, “Yeah?”</p>
<p>“You okay?”</p>
<p>“Yeah!” Reggie nodded, a little too enthusiastically. He seemed to realize that Ray and Carlos had already started to walk away, “Oh, sorry.”</p>
<p>Julie let go of Luke and walked over to Reggie, “It’s fine, no apologizing. Are you sure-”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’m good!” Reggie said, before pausing, seemingly debating something, then continued, “Just - me and my little brother used to have Christmas movie marathons. This just - looks like something he would’ve liked.” Alex appeared at Reggie’s side and had his hand on Reggie’s bicep, giving him a kind smile. Julie took his other hand and squeezed it, “Do you - do you think we could have a Christmas movie marathon?”</p>
<p>“Of course we can.” Julie smiled, “Netflix has a bunch of Christmas movies, new and old.”</p>
<p>“Thank you.” Reggie grinned, before looking over Julie’s shoulder, “Umm, maybe we should catch up with Ray, he’s giving you ‘worried dad look’ again.”</p>
<p>Julie laughed, squeezing his hand once more, Alex taking his other side. Julie joined her free hand with Luke and they all went to catch up with Ray and Carlos. They all walked down the road for a few more houses before Carlos pointed to the <em>least</em> decorated house they’d seen. Shaking her head, Julie looked at the house, but she already knew what she’d see.</p>
<p>The house had Christmas lights hanging along the roof of their house, but stopped halfway through the front of the building. Where those lights stopped, the strand hung down across the front yard to a Grinch statue, making it look as though he was stealing them. A statue of reindeer Max sitting next to the Grinch, with a strand of lights in his mouth.</p>
<p>Julie waved her hand that was intertwined with Luke at the house, “Carlos’ favorite house, everyone.”</p>
<p>Next to her, the boys laughed, “Ten outta ten on creativity, ten out of ten on design-”</p>
<p>“It’s a single string of lights with a Grinch and Max statue!” Julie continued their argument that has lasted as long as she could remember.</p>
<p>“But it’s <em>cool</em>!”</p>
<p>“Are we the only one who sees the upside-down Santa in the chimney?” Alex asked.</p>
<p>Julie looked up and - sure enough - there were two legs hanging out of the chimney in Santa pants, kicking as though it was stuck. Julie laughed, “Okay, I’ll give it a <em>few</em> design points - Carlos! Look at the chimney!”</p>
<p>Carlos let out a laugh, “I love it even more!”</p>
<p>“It’s still not the best house,” Julie argued. In response, Carlos stuck his tongue out at his sister, she responded with her tongue out. After a few more minutes of bickering between the siblings, Ray shepherded them up a block to look at more houses. </p>
<p>The group continued walking, Ray and Carlos leading with Julie and her boys behind them. After many “oohs” and “ahhs” at different displays, Reggie pointed his free hand to the other side of the street, “They have a Christmas tree with presents on it next to their mailbox?”</p>
<p>“It looks like there’s a note on the tree,” Alex said, and - sure enough - Julie did see a piece of cardboard settled in front of the tree. From this distance she couldn’t read it, but Reggie poofed away from her and was in front of the tree.</p>
<p>Checking the street to make sure there were no cars, she ran across and heard the boys following behind her. Reggie grinned as he read the note and Julie kneeled down to read it as well - in curly handwriting it said ‘<em>2020 has been a terrible year. Take a present per kid and may God bless ~The Boyd’s’</em></p>
<p>“Hey dad! Carlos!” Julie called, pulling their attention away from a light display up ahead. They looked around for a moment before their eyes landed on Julie and joined her.</p>
<p>“What’s up?” Carlos asked, Julie gestured to the note and her brother and dad both read it.</p>
<p>Carlos bounced up, “Can we take one dad?”</p>
<p>Ray smiled and nodded, “Go for it.”</p>
<p>All the presents were about the same size, small little gifts boxes in various colors. Carlos grabbed a blue one in the middle of the pack, while Julie grabbed a sparkly purple one from the front. Carlos was already opening the box, Reggie looking over his shoulder to see what was in it, as Julie scooted back from the tree to open her own box. </p>
<p>Inside it was a bag of various candy, a rubber bracelet that had little reindeer going around it, a red with green polka-dots kazoo, and a yo-yo. Julie pulled them out to show the boys, Luke gasped at the yo-yo, spinning around, “Alex!”</p>
<p>“No!” Alex said immediately, “Absolutely not!”</p>
<p>Carlos stuck the kazoo in his mouth and started playing, Julie looked at the blond, who was still shaking his head repeating “no, no, <em>no</em>”, “What’s going on?”</p>
<p>“Alex is-”</p>
<p>Alex cut him off, “I’m <em>not </em>and we are not talking about this anymore.”</p>
<p>“Alex and I once formed a competitive yo-yo group at our church we went to as kids,” Reggie told Julie, as Alex aggressively shook his head, Luke and Willie teasing him.</p>
<p>“You - what?” Julie questioned.</p>
<p>“Reggie!” Alex scolded, speaking over Luke’s teases.</p>
<p>Reggie raised his hands in surrender, looking to the left of Alex and laughed, “Oh Alex has a lot of talents!” He laughed, “He’s just shy about them.”</p>
<p>Alex ran a hand down his face, “Why did I agree to this?”</p>
<p>“You love us?” Luke suggested.</p>
<p>“I hate you guys,” The drummer quipped, then looked at Julie, with a frown, “Can we please put that away before I strangle one of them with the string?”</p>
<p>“We need to show off your talents!” Luke protested.</p>
<p>Rolling her eyes at Luke, she smiled to Alex, “Yeah, of course.” She dipped the yoyo and candy back into the box, but put the rubber reindeer bracelet around her wrist. Carlos had wandered off to their dad, casually playing his kazoo to a toon that sounded a bit like <em>You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch</em>. Standing up, she linked arms with a pouting Luke and pulled him away, then joined up with Reggie, “Okay, leave Alex alone guys.”</p>
<p>“But you don’t realize how <em>good</em> he is at it!” Luke complained again.</p>
<p>Alex stayed by the tree, talking to Willie, and Julie elbowed Luke, quietly saying, “Let him enjoy his date in <em>peace</em>.” She paused, as they joined up with Ray, and Carlos with his kazoo, “Reggie and Alex can show off their talents later.”</p>
<p>Luke let out a <em>whoop</em> of joy and Reggie laughed, “Everything okay?” Ray asked.</p>
<p>Julie nodded, “All good. Let’s keep going.”</p>
<p>They started snaking up a few blocks, picking out the best houses as they passed them. A few blocks from the end of their neighborhood Julie let out a gasp at a new set of decorations she hadn’t seen before, “I think this house is my favorite!” She pointed to the house just up ahead, she could see that the family had decorated it to entirely look like an oversized gingerbread house, complete with bushes with brightly colored lights on it to make it look like candy decorations. In the front yard, there were even two large gingerbread men and two small gingerbread kids. </p>
<p>“Ooh!” Reggie laughed, bouncing next to her, “Do you think those are edible?”</p>
<p>Alex dropped his head at Reggie’s words and let out a tired, “<em>Okay</em>.”</p>
<p>Julie repeated the question for her dad, “Probably not,” Ray said, “Otherwise they would have an infestation of ants.”</p>
<p>Behind her, Luke laughed, “Oh it totally is!”</p>
<p>“No, dad’s right. It-” Julie started, but realized that Luke was looking next to Alex, where Willie was.</p>
<p>“Willie was pointing out that it was two gingerbread men,” Alex said, face a little red.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah, definitely two gingerbread men,” Julie agreed, smiling at him.</p>
<p>Ray took in the house and nodded, “Oh yeah, this is the Ramirez's house. They’re a great couple, I photographed their twins' fifth birthday party a few weeks ago. Josh and Vince. Nice men.”</p>
<p>“Too much work put into making the bushes look like candy,” Carlos said, although one glare from Julie told her that he was trying to get a rise out of her.</p>
<p>Julie rolled her eyes, anyway, “<em>Exactly</em>, they put hard work into this!” She waved her hands around at everything, “All that hard work paid off because <em>look how beautiful their yard is</em>!”</p>
<p>“The Grinch is better!” Carlos told her.</p>
<p>Instead of responding, Julie just turned to Reggie, but he wasn’t there anymore. Looking around, she caught him where he must have poofed into the yard and was tapping on the gingerbread man, “I think it’s just painted wood!” He declared, “But it still looks cool!”</p>
<p>Julie turned to Luke, “You’re lucky you guys are still invisible, otherwise you would get us <em>arrested</em>.” Luke laughed in response and poofed away to join Reggie with the closer examination. Sighing, Julie just kept walking.</p>
<p>“What’s happening?” Carlos asked her.</p>
<p>“Reggie and Luke are checking to make sure nothing is actually made out of candy, they’re on the lawn and I’m <em>leaving</em>.”</p>
<p>Carlos pouted, “I wish I could see them.”</p>
<p>Julie put a comforting arm around his shoulder, “Right now, the fact that you can’t see them means that we aren’t going to get arrested for them running onto people’s yards.” Behind her, she heard Luke and Reggie let out a loud laugh and she guided her brother and dad away from them and their chaos.</p>
<p>After they turned to the last block of their neighborhood, the guys met back up with them. Julie decided against asking what took them so long, and they continued walking, admiring all the lights. </p>
<p>As they came up to the final house, Julie heard the unmistakable sounds of “<em>Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock</em>” coming from up ahead. Her three phantoms gasped and poofed away from her in their excitement. Rolling her eyes, she jogged up ahead and caught up with her brother and dad.</p>
<p>“You okay, <em>mija</em>?” Ray asked, putting a hand on her shoulder, causing her to pause.</p>
<p>Julie nodded, “I’m good. The boys-” She gestured to the house on the end of the street, “-the <em>Jingle Bell Rock</em> Santa has been around since they were still alive. They were just excited to see it again.”</p>
<p>Carlos laughed tiredly, all the excitement for the night clearly having wiped him out, “I always knew it was <em>old</em>.”</p>
<p>Ray shook his head, “It’s not <em>that</em> old.”</p>
<p>“The boys died <em>twenty-five</em> years ago,” Carlos reminded his dad, “That’s like two and a half times my age.”</p>
<p>“You’re making me feel old,” Ray told his son.</p>
<p>“You <em>are</em> old.”</p>
<p>Julie laughed, putting out her arm to stop her dad and brother from walking into her bandmates. The three of them were watching as the animatronic Santa danced side to side, arm strumming the guitar almost in beat with the song, “I cannot believe this thing still works,” Alex said.</p>
<p>“And it’s definitely the same house, because Luke crashed into that sign when we first noticed it.” Reggie gestured to the intersection sign behind them.</p>
<p>Luke let out an offended noise, “I did <em>not</em>.”</p>
<p>“Yes you did man, don’t lie.” Alex responded, rolling his eyes, “You thought you broke your guitar and just laid on the ground until Reggie told you it was fine.”</p>
<p>Julie attempted to hold back her laughter, but it didn’t work, “<em>Why</em> did you hit a sign?”</p>
<p>“I <em>didn’t</em>,” Luke tried again, Alex started to argue back, and Luke just glared, “<em>Fine</em>, maybe I did. I was just surprised.” He looked back at the Santa, and Julie could see nostalgia coming over him, “It’s definitely less in-sync than it was when we were alive, but it’s still the same one.”</p>
<p>Not for the first time, Julie felt for the boys, who died twenty-five years ago, and came back thinking it had only been an hour. As time went on, they got more and more used to the idea of being in the twenty first century, but things from their past always gave them a good smack in the face with shock if they weren’t prepared.</p>
<p>Julie had an idea, thinking about her old family tradition she used to have. She turned to her little brother, who just groggily arrived, the sleepiness creeping into him. After this, she knew they were going to head back home, given how out of it Carlos was becoming, but she could think of a small thing that might make her band feel better.</p>
<p>While the boys were talking about the Santa, she walked over to Carlos, “Do you think you could hold my phone or your phone and record us?”</p>
<p>Carlos nodded, never one to pass up a performance. Smiling, she turned to her dad and pulled a small light out of her pocket and handed it to him, “In case someone’s security camera is turned to us, can you turn this on to make it look like the boys are a projection?”</p>
<p>Julie always kept a small light in her pocket, in case she needed a cover for her ‘hologram’ story. It seemed silly when Flynn first suggested it to her, but now she was happy about it. Ray agreed and Julie joined the boys, “How about a rendition of <em>Jingle Bell Rock</em> to close out the night, guys?”</p>
<p>Luke looked at her, a smile on his face, “Really?”</p>
<p>“Really,” Julie agreed, he nodded, and she looked at Reggie and Alex. The bassist agreed immediately, Alex looked a little bit more bashful and Julie realized it was probably because Willie was watching him. She knew something was being said by Willie, even if she couldn’t hear him, because Alex’s face turned red and Luke and Reggie shared a joyful smile. Finally, Alex nodded as well.</p>
<p>“Go ahead and start,” She told her brother and dad, Carlos started recording and Ray flipped on the ‘hologram’ light. She waited for the Santa to start the song intro before she started, without even needing to talk about it, Luke started with her, harmonizing flawlessly with her. Reggie and Alex coming in at first with the ‘ooos’, but each got a solo of “<em>Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock // Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time // Dancin' and prancin' in Jingle Bell Square // In the frosty air</em>” Alex and Reggie alternating between the two, before Julie and Luke took back over.</p>
<p>When they finished, they bowed and Julie knew when they vanished because they got a small gasp from her brother and dad. Ray turned off the light and Carlos stopped recording to clap for the performance. </p>
<p>“Thank you,” Luke said quietly to Julie, leaning in to her as they intertwined hands.</p>
<p>Reggie joined Julie’s other side, giving Luke a smile, “And look at you, Luke, you’ve shared the spotlight just fine.”</p>
<p>Ray ruffled Carlos’ hair, “Let’s start heading home <em>niños</em>,” He said, starting to lead Carlos away.</p>
<p>Julie nodded, going to follow her dad with Luke and Reggie - Alex was blushing deeply and listening to something Willie was saying - “Did you guys sing with the Santa before?”</p>
<p>“He did it alone,” Reggie responded, grinning, “He was the lead singer after all.”</p>
<p>Luke rolled his eyes at Reggie, “I have no problem sharing the spotlight.”</p>
<p>Reggie ticked up an eyebrow, looking at Julie, “Did we ever tell you about, before we asked you to join the band, Luke got all defensive about you joining as the lead singer?”</p>
<p>“REGGIE!” Luke released Julie’s hands as though he was going to tackle Reggie, but the bassist poofed away, ending up in front of Ray and Carlos. </p>
<p>Julie shook her head and laughed as Luke poofed after him, knowing that they were going to go at that for a while. She sped up and joined her brother and dad, hearing the sounds of them poofing around the road, walking on her dad’s other side, “Thank you for bringing us out to look at lights,” She told him.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Carlos nodded tiredly, “It was fun!”</p>
<p>Ray put his arms around both his kids, “Anything for you two. I’m happy that you two both wanted to do this again.”</p>
<p>Somewhere behind her, she heard a loud laugh from Luke, but she knew that they would eventually catch up again. The three of them made their way back towards the house, checking over her shoulder to at least make sure that Alex was still there. Right as they stepped into the driveway, Reggie and Luke poofed next to them, arms around each other, faces flushed, hair a mess, “You two good?” Julie asked, raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p>Reggie gave her a thumbs up, “Perfect.”</p>
<p>Behind her, Alex snorted, but she wasn’t sure if that was from something Willie said or from Reggie and Luke. Ray squeezed her shoulder, “I’m going to bring Carlos to bed, don’t stay out here to long <em>mija</em>.”</p>
<p>“I won’t.”</p>
<p>“Goodnight boy band!” Carlos waved behind them before being shepherded into the house by their dad, the echoes of “goodnight Carlos” following him, although her little brother couldn’t hear them.</p>
<p>Although she hadn’t been tired on the walk home, something about being right outside of her front door, she could feel her bed calling her. Holding back a yawn, she focused on Luke, “Thank you for suggesting we go out and look at the lights,” She smiled to everyone else, making a guess where Willie was as well, “Thank you for coming along with us.”</p>
<p>Luke broke away from Reggie and put his arm around her shoulder, “Thank you for including us in your family tradition. This was pretty fun.”</p>
<p>Reggie nodded, “And don’t forget, we have to schedule a Christmas movie night!”</p>
<p>Julie laughed, “Yes, we will. Maybe tomorrow afternoon we can start?”</p>
<p>“Sounds good to me.”</p>
<p>“I’m going to head to bed, I’m tired out, but-” She looked at where she hoped Willie was, “You’re more than welcome to stay for as long as you want. <em>Mi casa es tu casa</em>.” She laughed.</p>
<p>Alex smiled in the direction that she was looking, so she assumed that meant she was at least somewhat right, she could see that Alex squeezed his hand, “Willie says thank you, he may take you up on that.”</p>
<p>“Good night guys, I’ll see you all in the morning. Try not to get into any more trouble,” Julie gave them all hugs and headed into her house. Climbing up the stairs, she saw that Carlos’ bedroom light was already off, but her dad’s light was on. She knocked on the door, “Goodnight dad!”</p>
<p>Ray opened the door, “Goodnight Julie,” He smiled, already changed into his pajamas, even though Julie knew he’d stay up for a few extra hours editing photos for work.</p>
<p>She gave him a hug before heading to her bedroom and tossing herself down onto her bed and burrowing under the covers. As hard as she thought it would be, continuing Christmas traditions now that her mom was gone, she found that the boys made it so much easier. </p>
<p>When she fell asleep, she dreamed of extravagant lights in the Julie and the Phantoms colors. Her last conscious thought was how they could decorate the Molina household next year.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The boys grew up in the 80s, you cannot tell me that they do not know how to yo-yo.</p>
<p>(Did I almost write a scene of Alex and Reggie showing off their skills? Yes. Was I laughing too hard at the cringe so decided to delete it? Also yes.)</p>
<p>The Jingle Bell Rock is the classic Bobby Helms version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0ajuTaHBtM</p></blockquote></div></div>
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